On Tuesday an Air India flight (AI2379), en route from Phuket in Thailand to Delhi, came under severe turbulence. The plane suddenly started to shake violently and is said to have dropped by several feet. The pilots, however, were able to regain control and the aircraft was safely landed at Delhi Airport.
12 People Injured
Twelve people in all, comprising both passengers and crew, were hurt in the incident. All the injured persons were first taken to the medical centre at Delhi Airport, and seven passengers were subsequently admitted to Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj for treatment. Air India stated that all passengers and crew members are safe and that no serious injuries have been reported.
Severe Turbulence Struck 90 Minutes Into the Flight
A passenger stated that the aircraft came upon severe turbulence approximately one hour and a half after taking off; at that time it was early in the morning so that most of the passengers were asleep when the plane suddenly began to shake.The passenger stated that the aircraft kept shaking violently for nearly two or three minutes and that it seemed as if it was going to overturn. He said that about 15 to 20 people had suffered serious injuries and that 70 to 80 per cent of the passengers had minor injuries. Over 100 people were aboard the flight.
Cracks Visible in Aircraft Images
After the incident, a number of pictures of the aircraft appeared on line. These photographs are said to display cracks in the ceiling panels in the cabin. The aviation authorities have initiated an investigation in order to find out the precise cause of the turbulence.
Can turbulence lead to a plane crash
Aviation experts say that today's aircraft are built so that they can endure severe turbulence and that pilots undergo special training to deal with such scenarios. Even though it cannot be entirely ruled out that an accident might occur under extreme weather conditions and severe turbulence, the use of modern technology and safety systems has greatly lowered the probability of such events.
Three Major Turbulence-Related Accidents Around the World
1 The flight of US Air 1016 in 1994
US Air Flight 1016 crashed while landing in the United States following its encounter with a storm and severe turbulence, and 37 people were killed in the accident.
2 The flight of American Airlines 1420 in 1999
The aircraft killed 11 people after encountering bad weather and experiencing severe turbulence and skidding off the runway.
3 The flight of American Airlines 587 (2001)
The plane crashed a short time after taking off as a result of wake turbulence and all of the 260 people on board died.
Investigation Underway
Air India and the aviation authorities are presently looking into the incident; preliminary reports indicate that the pilots' rapid reaction, together with the latest safety systems, had prevented a serious disaster